GOLF TREASURES:
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

I just purchased a wooden shaft golf club. On the back of the club it's marked "Argyle" which is framed on either side by two tassel-like objects. The bottom of the club says "mashie niblic". The head is somewhat rusty, the shaft seems in good shape, and the grips look good (with electrical tape on the top and bottom). Any idea of the value? Thanks
Ken Mooney

Dale Concannon writes:

First the bad news. Despite what you may have heard about vast sums being paid at auction for antique golf clubs, less than 10% of all wooden-shafted clubs are worth more than £10! The reason is simple - Like today, most clubs were produced in huge numbers to cater for the golfing boom of the early 1900's. And while the vast majority of them have disappeared over the years, there are still countless hickory shafted golf clubs still in existence. Today, the vast majority of hickory clubs made between 1900 and 1930 are only worth between £5-£10 for irons and £10-£20 for woods. Of course, similar clubs are offered for sale at vastly inflated prices in antique shops etc. but this is the figure most collectors would pay for them at auction. As for those early steel-shafted clubs dating from the 1930's and 1940's with shafts made to look like 'cane' or 'wood' they currently have little value above £5. Therefore, the simple truth is that most 'antique' clubs found gathering dust in the attic or picked up at flea market or boot fairs are sadly, not going to make your fortune. That said, there are always exceptions. So how can you tell if your club/s are in the common bracket? Made between 1900 and 1932, this usually applies to any golf club that:

· Has any marking on the striking face such as lines, dots or dashes. (Pre-1900 clubs had no face markings to impart spin.)
· Has a symbol or 'cleek 'mark denoting the company who made it stamped on the back of the head like an anvil or star for example.
· Has metal-caps at the end of the grip or thin Black leather grips.
· Has yardage ranges stamped on the back (80-125-yds for example).
· Has a stainless steel or chromed head stamped 'rustless.' or 'matched set.'
· Has a metal or aluminium shaft that is coated or painted to look like 'cane' or 'wood'.

As for your particular golf club/s: As you have probably guessed by now, your hickory club is not that rare. Made in Scotland around 1915 its poor condition will also weigh against it. today an Argyle mashie niblick like yours is worth about $10.